of this user guide.
Monitor Output General Functions
Four buttons and one rotary control are associated with the monitor output. The buttons control operation of the reference level, mute all, dim, and LFE low-pass filter functions. In addition the LFE low-pass filter button can be used to enable the dis-play of the current sample rate. The rotary level control is used to manually set the monitor output level.
Reference Level
The reference level button sets the moni-tor output level to a preset value. Technical personnel, using a sound-pressure-level (SPL) meter and precision signal source, should have set this level to meet the requirements of the specific monitoring environment. The LED associated with the reference level button will light whenever the function is active. The 4-digit display will indicate the reference output level.
The StudioComm’s default reference level is –60.0 dB so “out of the box” the Model 790 will display –60.0 when reference level mode is enabled.
How the rotary level control functions whenever the reference level mode is active depends on a configuration set-ting. If the auto reference level off function is disabled turning the rotary level con-trol will have no impact on the reference level function; it will remain active. If the auto reference level off function has been enabled turning the rotary level control will cause the reference level function to auto-matically turn off.
The LED associated with the reference level button can also serve as a calibra-tion aid. If the reference level mode is not active, whenever the monitor output level is selected to be the same as that stored for the reference value the reference level LED will flash. This exact level can be reached through the use of the rotary level control, either by itself or through the set-ting of the rotary level control in conjunc-tion with the dim funcconjunc-tion. Whatever path the monitor output takes to reach the refer-ence level value, it will cause the referrefer-ence level LED to flash!
Mute All
Pressing the mute all button causes the monitor output to fully mute. The 4-digit display indicates the mute condition by showing four dashes (– – – –). The mute all button is always set to “latch” the func-tion on and off. The LED associated with the mute all button will light whenever mute all is active. Note that if mute all is enabled via the remote mute all function, the mute all LED will flash.
Dim
The dim function is provided for user con-venience, allowing the monitor output level to be reduced by a fixed amount. The Model 790’s configuration mode allows the dim level to be selected from among four choices: 10, 15, 20, or 25 dB. Pressing the dim button will enable the function. The dim button is always set to “latch” the function on and off. The 4-digit display, when se-lected for output level mode, will indicate the revised monitor output level. When dim is active the monitor output level reduction will apply no matter whether the level is being set by the rotary level control or by the reference level button. The LED associ-ated with the dim button will light whenever dim is active. If dim mode is enabled via the remote dim function the dim LED will flash.
It’s worth using a few sentences to dis-cuss the auto dim off function. Whenever dim is enabled due to the dim button be-ing pressed, and the rotary level control is active (reference level mode is not active), changing the setting of the rotary level control will automatically turn off dim. The auto dim off function is a unique attempt at protecting the aural health of users. No longer will there be a heart-stopping blast of audio when the dim button is pressed, sup-posedly to enable dim, but actually turning dim off because it was already enabled. It’s hard to explain unless you’ve experienced this in person—trust us, this situation can and does happen!
Note that the auto dim off function is not active whenever dim is enabled due to the remote dim function being active. This al-lows remote control equipment, such as a talkback system, to reliably dim the monitor outputs.
LFE Low-Pass Filter
The LFE low-pass filter function is pro-vided to emulate the processing done by some distribution formats to the signal present on an LFE channel. Unlike the seven main surround channels, an LFE channel is typically bandwidth restricted to save digital “bits.” It’s important that an audio mix maintains its integrity when such LFE bandwidth restrictions are in place.
When enabled the LFE low-pass filter function applies a filter with a –6 dB cutoff frequency of 120 Hz and a slope of 48 dB-per-octave to the selected surround input source. To enable the LFE low-pass filter function simply press the LFE low-pass button. The associated LED will light when the filter is active in the LFE audio path.
Philosophy dictates how the filter function should be used. The function can be used as a final “double check” to ensure that material will maintain overall integrity when digitally processed. Enabling the filter during a final listening session should find the spectral content remaining constant.
If the mix is impacted, content has been incorrectly routed to the LFE channel! It’s also acceptable to leave the filter enabled at all times. This will ensure that an audio mix will “hold up” when processed. How-ever, this may mask content remaining in the LFE channel which, although it won’t be present after processing, may be con-fusing to mastering engineers or other personnel who monitor the original source material.
Displaying the Current Sample Rate The LFE low-pass filter button is also used to display the system’s current sample rate value. Pressing and holding the LFE low-pass button will cause the current sample rate value to be shown on the 4-digit
display. The possible values displayed will be 44.1, 48.0, 88.2, or 96.0. This can be useful during troubleshooting or just for general interest. Once the button is released normal display operation will resume.
Rotary Level Control
The rotary level control is used to manually adjust the monitor output level. The level control provides the ability to adjust the monitor output level over a 70-dB range.
Technically, the rotary level control is a 24-step-per-revolution mechanical encoder.
The amount of level change in dB per step (per “click”) will depend on how quickly the control is turned. When rotated slowly, each step represents a 0.5-dB change in level. In this case, to traverse the entire level range would require rotating the control more than five full turns. But the Model 790’s software detects when the control is rotated more quickly and increases the amount of level change in dB per step. A little experimenta-tion will allow the user to acquire a good
“feel” for how best to use the control.
The reference level LED will flash when the rotary level control sets the output level to be the same as the stored reference level. Whenever the rotary level control at-tempts to set the output level to be less than –70.0 dB, the monitor output channels will automatically mute. As previously discussed, the 4-digit display indicates the mute condi-tion by showing four dashes (– – – –).
If the mute all function is active the rotary level control won’t have an impact on the monitor output level. It’s also not active whenever the reference level function is active, except if the auto reference level off function has been enabled. If the dim function is active, turning the rotary control will automatically disable the dim function.
Input Mute/Solo
The input mute/solo functions allow specif-ic input channels to be selected for indi-vidual or group mute or “solo” monitoring.
The functions take place electrically “after”
the input source selection and input delay functions but “before” the LFE low-pass filter, downmix, output level, and output mute functions.
The input mute/solo mode and input mute/solo channel buttons, along with associated LEDs, work together to pro-vide excellent operating flexibility. The input mute/solo mode button allows the user to select between the mute and solo functions. Going from mute mode to solo mode, or vice-versa, clears all active mutes or solos. Pressing the mode but-ton twice is a legitimate means of quickly clearing muted or soloed channels. To mute or solo a channel simply requires pressing one of the eight input mute/solo buttons. The buttons function in a press-to-enable/press-to-disable “latching” mode.
Multiple channels can be muted or soloed at the same time. LEDs associated with a muted or soloed channel will light to indi-cate that the function is active.
Output Mute
The two buttons associated with the output mute function provide a means of directly muting the monitor output channels. These serve as an aid in observing the perfor-mance of the loudspeaker system. The output mute function organizes the moni-tor output channels into two groups: the main channels (mains) and the subwoofer (SUB). The mains group consists of the seven main output channels: left (L), right (R), center (C), surround left (SL), sur-round right (SR), back left (BL), and back right (BR). The SUB group consists of only
the subwoofer (SUB) output channel. Two buttons and associated LEDs are used to control the output mute function. Both buttons function in a push-on/push-off manner.
It may be confusing at first to imagine why the output mute buttons are important. The reason, like the input mute/solo function, is bass management. The input mute/solo function allows observation of the channels associated with the surround and stereo inputs. But soloing a single channel, such as the left input of surround A, may result in audio content coming out of the system and being reproduced by both the left (L) and subwoofer (SUB) loudspeakers. By maintaining the left channel in the input solo mode, a user can activate the output mute function to independently mute the left (L) and subwoofer (SUB) output chan-nels as desired.